Is the intent of worship to request intervention by God for the trials &

[heidler1]

tribulations of life? The word tends to imply that worship is telling the God of choice how much you admire him/her. It also implies that you are willing to do what ever it takes to impress the God of choice that you are worthy. I suspect that lots of prayers are a request for something for fun and pleasure right here on earth.

[Zebedeo]

1. Prayer is communication between mankind and God

It's that simple. It could be praise. It could be a request. It could be a thank you. It could be a complaint. God wants us to seek Him. Why? Because God is an egomaniac who has a psychological need to be worshipped? Nope. It is because seeking God is what is best for us as humans. We were created for it, and our lives are richer and better when we do it.

These are my beliefs. Flame away.

[StoryTeller]

3. I agree...

There's no need for anyone to flame you for this. You have the right to clarify what your faith teaches. And this is very orthodox Christian teaching. Even catechisms teach "What is the chief end of man (humanity)?" "To worship God and enjoy Him forever." (I hope I quoted that right--I didn't actually grow up in a catechism-teaching church, but I love this question/answer.)

To me, prayer is also simply talking to God, as well as listening for what He is saying in return. Some prayer is actually reflective and meditative, for the purpose of reminding ourselves what we believe about something. I also believe that worship is not just going to church or singing or prayer, etc., but that it can be anything a person does with the intention of pleasing God. True worship--at least in the Christian tradition--is done out of love and appreciation for God, not to try to manipulate or bribe Him. In fact, part of worship for a Christian requires acknowledging that God cannot and will not be manipulated or bribed because that goes against His character. (Note: I'm well aware that there are several strands of Christian thought currently that would basically equate with trying to manipulate God. Not everything labeled "Christian" deserve that label.)

Of course, I'm speaking from the perspective of a Christian. It would be interesting to find out what people from other faith traditions believe about the purpose of worship and/or prayer.

[Zebedeo]

7. Right

I'm glad you added "as well as listening for what He is saying in return." I can't believe I omitted that from my post.:banghead:

[Notary Sojac]

6. "God wants us to seek Him." God has wants? How is that possible? nt

[EST]

2. Not to get too technical, but

The act of giving away responsibility for the BS that is going on, whatever form that takes, is a powerful tool. Those who use prayer for that purpose find it a welcome purgative.
Attribute it however you like, it is quite useful and easily demonstrated.

This also depends on actually handing off your troubles, at least for a little while, and if one is merely doing it for "form," the cheat catches up. I have done a long and somewhat involved study of this phenomenon and can vouch for its effectiveness.

[htuttle]

4. During my rather brief contact with Christianity while growing up

..I'd have to say, based on the fairly traditional experiences I had back then (Midwestern-type Protestant Sunday School, etc...), that there doesn't seem to be a lot of teaching on HOW one should actually pray. No methodology, no focus (though I understand this is somewhat different in Catholicism, with the rosary and all). Pretty much boiled down to 'wishes' and 'flattery'.

I can contrast this with what I've learned about meditation in several other non-Christian traditions, where there was far more discussion about how one should meditate, and far less discussion about what one expects to achieve from it. The results of meditation were expected to make themselves known as appropriate, but the results were also less ambitious (such as achieving a state of calmness and acceptance) than the sorts of results many seem to expect from prayer in most Christian traditions, particularly American Protestant ones (for example, healing one's blindness, winning the big game, getting a new job, losing weight, etc...).

Chaplain: Let us praise God.
(The congregation rises.)

Chaplain: O Lord…
Congregation: O Lord…

Chaplain: … ooh, You are so big…
Congregation: … ooh, You are so big…

Chaplain: … so absolutely huge.
Congregation: … so absolutely huge.

Chaplain: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.
Congregation: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.

Chaplain: Forgive us, O Lord, for this, our dreadful toadying, and…
Congregation: … and barefaced flattery.

Chaplain: But You're so strong and, well, just so… super.
Congregation: Fantastic!

Chaplain: Amen.
Congregation: Amen.

[raccoon]

8. Great post.

I was raised in Southern-type Protestant Sunday School, etc...), and I got very little if any teaching on how to pray.

"Pretty much boiled down to 'wishes' and 'flattery'."

My experience too.

"...the sorts of results many seem to expect from prayer in most Christian traditions, particularly American Protestant ones (for example, healing one's blindness, winning the big game, getting a new job, losing weight, etc...).

I agree, many American protestants pray for things like you mentioned.

My personal opinion is that it is useless to pray to try to influence outside events. Praying to try to influence my own attitude and actions works. It certainly doesn't mean I always get what I want. But it helps me to deal with the reality around me, with WHAT IS, and helps me to do what I can to change what I'm dissatisfied with or with what needs to be changed. Like the Serenity Prayer.

I found When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner helpful in figuring out what I believe about the power of prayer.

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Only for some...

primitive believers who aren't all that far from throwing virgins into volcanoes to assuage an angry god. As I said in another post, our Quaker theology talks of a continuum of good and bad things that happen, and asking God to break the continuum for our own selfish purposes is not what it's all about. Prayer simply asking for stuff is not prayer or worship-- it is just asking for stuff.

"Worship" means different things to different people, but it is essentially the simple acceptance of a higher power that we are subject to and recognize. Prayer is our attempt at communication with that power, and true prayer is closer to meditation than the loud mouthings we hear so often.